The Oklahoma City Thunder might be buyers at the trade deadline for the first time in a long in the 2023–24 NBA season. As the All-Star game in Indianapolis, Indiana approaches, they lead the Western Conference and may be preparing to make a run at the playoffs by adding players to their roster.
Every national media outlet makes trade suggestions at this time of year for teams hoping to make a deadline purchase. The Thunder are one of those teams in this instance. Several websites, including ESPN, will suggest terrible or wildly improbable trades for teams to make. At times, it’s enjoyable to consider these trades; at other times, it’s clear that those
ESPN Suggests a Poor Trade at the Deadline for the Thunder
ESPN recently suggested a number of trades to teams that were planning to buy at the deadline. It wasn’t the best one they did for Oklahoma City. It might even slightly impede the Thunder’s entire process, including the growth of some of their younger players.
ESPN suggested that the Thunder trade center Andre Drummond to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Aleksej Pokusevski, who has been sidelined for a few weeks due to injury, and three second-round picks.
The Thunder lose minutes from players like Jaylin Williams, a large man who can stretch the floor, play excellent defense, and create for others by passing in the post or at the top of the key. This trade doesn’t really help the Thunder. Although Drummond is clearly not good enough to start ahead of rookie Chet Holmgren, he could still steal some playing time given that they would be adding another big man to the lineup.
At the conclusion of the season, Pokusevski’s contract will expire and he will become a free agent. According to Spotrac, Drummond’s contract is also about to expire, but this move is still insufficient to justify giving up three second-round picks, particularly considering
Final Word
Sam Presti, general manager of the Thunder, isn’t scared to make some trades in general if they will help the team improve both now and down the road. Every now and then, he does it. Thus, watch for a move at the deadline, provided that it makes more sense than the one that ESPN suggested.
